The Prom Queen

“Let me go! They’re about to announce prom queen! They’ll give it to someone else if I’m not there!” Nancy screamed. Despite being in a rather imposing contraption, she was less concerned about her safety and more concerned about claiming her crown.

She was actually surprised no one could hear her screaming for help. She could still hear the bass of the music through the walls. She had been taken from just outside where she had been sneaking a cigarette where no one could see. But who took her? Karen? That bitch would do anything to take the crown from her.

She was quite surprised to see a nerdy guy emerge from the shadows. He had a strange helmet on his head and placed a matching one on hers.

Nancy was confused, “Who are you? Why are you doing this?”

“You never noticed me,” The nerdy guy sighed, “No one ever did. Well, that ends today. I’m going to be prom queen.”

Nancy suddenly stopped screaming and began to laugh. “You? You’re not exactly prom queen material. You’ve even got the gender wrong.”

“No, but I will be. Once I used my machine here to steal your body.”

“Steal my -- ? What?” Nancy started screaming for help again. But as the machine was activated, she could hear the sound of her voice changing from her sweet, high pitched tone to an obnoxious, nasally snort. What had he done to her!?

In the Pouring Rain

“And just why did you bring us up to the roof in the pouring rain?” Tricia asked her boss Mike.

“Because we came up here the other day and there was that lightning strike that swapped our bodies, right?” Mike asked. “I figured there’s a pretty good chance of another lightning strike in weather like this. It’s been two days, Tricia! I want my body back!”

You don’t think I want mine back, too? It’s nice to be the boss, but I miss being young! I miss having a social life! I hated going back to the suburbs at night!”

“Then what are you complaining about!?”

“Because it may be raining, but there’s no lightning today! We’re just getting soaking wet!”

Searching

Late summer in 1947. Henry and Tanya had spent the last two months together on an expedition. The two archaeologists were in search of something, and it seemed they had finally found it.

Henry reached out and put his hand on the artifact, and it began to glow. Tanya maintained a safe distance.

“This is what we’ve been looking for,” Henry told her, “If we both touch this at the same time, it should swap our bodies. We can get back to normal!”

“What if I don’t want to go back?” Tanya asked.

“How could you not want to return to your own body?”

“Not everyone is as progressive as you. The fact that you allowed me in your class at college; the fact that you picked me as you teaching assistant; the fact that you hired me at the university after I graduated. This world is tough out there for a woman like me, and no one except for you will ever give me a chance. Being stuck as an old white man doesn’t seem that bad in comparison.”

Henry knew exactly what she was talking about. He had lived the past two months as Tanya. He had experienced the racism and discrimination first hand. He had given her every opportunity because she was the brightest student he ever had, and he wasn’t going to let other people’s racism get in the way of that; he had done his best to shield her from it, but he was one man. He knew exactly why she didn’t want to go back though. He laughed, “Okay. Fine. I understand. But we’re still bringing the artifact back in case you change your mind. Oh, and, for the record, I’m not that old.”

Wish Upon a Shooting Star

Avery saw the bright light in the sky. It was the second shooting star he had seen in a month. He guessed it wasn’t a coincidence. This was his opportunity to undo his first wish if he so wanted to.

He didn’t want to.

When he saw the first star a month ago, he had wished to become a woman. He almost thought it was silly by how specific he got, as if he knew to take this wish more seriously than any other he had ever made. Waking up the next morning, he was surprised that had been granted.

And since then, he had been enjoying his time in a female body. Was it perfect? Far from it, but everything about it still felt “more right” than it ever had been as a guy. He wondered if everyone got a chance to undo their wish like this.

But just before the star blinked from view, he realized something else. It wasn’t just a chance to undo what he had loved, it was an opportunity he could grant for others. And so he wished that anyone who wanted to change gender could do so just as easily and freely as he had.

A Good Mother

After 10 years of marriage and two kids, Joel and Skye both could feel their relationship was in trouble. The more traditional couple’s therapy they had tried didn’t work, so they both agreed to something more extreme. They sent their kids to the grandparents and underwent a temporary body swap treatment.

The initial swap was both weird for Joel and Skye. Neither felt comfortable in their new skin, but the therapist explained a minor amount of hypnosis would help them adapt. And, sure enough, by the end of the day, Joel felt comfortable as a woman in the wife role, and Skye was fine with being the man and husband. With their roles reversed, they found that they went to bed without an argument for the first time in years.

The next morning wasn’t nearly as quiet.

Skye woke up to an empty bedside next to her. She heard a door slam, and she ran down to follow. Joel was standing there with a doll in his hands.

“What are you doing?” Skye asked.

“Our daughter isn’t well,” Joel said frantically, “I’m taking her to the doctor.”

Skye looked at the doll again before looking at Joel. “That’s not our daughter.”

“Of course it is! I’m a wonderful mother! And I need to take care of her! You wouldn’t understand, Skye! You didn’t give birth to her!”

Skye could only assume this was something off with the hypnosis. She needed to call the center for help, but she also didn’t want Joel to run off like this...especially not while he still had her body.